(30 August 2024, Hong Kong) – Oysters are a popular choice for Hong Kong diners, with the city importing 3,300 tonnes of oysters in 2023. With most oyster shells ending up in landfills, the Great Eagle Group posed a sustainability-focused question: “Can we collect, process and utilise these shells to create a circular solution that benefits the environment and local businesses?” 

This led to the development of a strategic, cross-sectoral partnership between Great Eagle and Green Island Cement, and the launch of the world-leading Oyster Shell Upcycling Pilot Programme in March 2023. This partnership seeks to revolutionise perceptions about waste and harness the potential of discarded oyster shells as a sustainable alternative raw material for cement production. The Pilot Programme’s Results-sharing Session was held at Eaton HK in August 2024.

Mr Alexander Lo, Executive Director of Great Eagle Holdings Limited, expressed his pride in the pilot’s success, saying, “We are delighted to have co-founded this project, spearheading cross-sectoral collaboration in Hong Kong to transform food waste into sustainable building materials. We are proud that we led by example to demonstrate the immense potential of local circularity initiatives. We have developed a sustainable and innovative business solution that will benefit all of Hong Kong.” 

Dr Amie Lai, General Manager, Sustainability at Great Eagle Holdings Limited, explained at the sharing session that the motivation behind this venture was the promising results of global oyster shell recycling studies. Dr Lai also discussed how the idea was actualised – testing its feasibility and logistics, and integrating it into the local manufacturing process. 

“We brought together like-minded partners to repurpose oyster shells into an alternative and sustainable raw material for cement production. Two of our hotels, The Langham Hong Kong and Eaton HK, worked alongside Green Island Cement on this first-of-its-kind project.”, Dr Lai said.

Mr Eddy Tsang, CEO of Green Island Cement Group, highlighted that the collected oyster shells were meticulously tested. “The key to success lay in the proper sourcing and separation of oyster shells from the food waste stream. Collaborating with the hotels, we developed effective cleaning, storage and transportation methods to keep the collected oyster shells hygienic.”

Approximately nine tonnes of oyster shells have now been successfully converted into sustainable cement products, marking a significant milestone in waste reduction, circularity and resource efficiency, and promoting sustainable dining experiences.

Mr Bob van den Oord, CEO of Langham Hospitality Group, expressed confidence in the programme, asserting that, “We have high hopes that this will raise awareness about the importance of sustainability innovation and inspire others to protect this great planet of ours.”

To build on the achievements of the pilot, the project now hopes to scale up with the support of the HKSAR government’s Recycling Fund. The Great Eagle Group has high hopes that more hotels and restaurants will join forces to divert discarded oyster shells from landfills. Meanwhile, the Group will continue to promote food waste recycling and upcycling innovations, and drive circularity and solid waste reduction efforts forward as we work to create a green future for Hong Kong.

For more information, please click here to watch the video.

Participants at the Oyster Shell Upcycling Pilot Programme Results-sharing Session.

From left to right: Dr Amie Lai, General Manager, Sustainability at Great Eagle Holdings Limited; Mr Eddy Tsang, CEO of Green Island Cement Group; Ms Sherona Shng, Managing Director at The Langham, Hong Kong and Regional Vice President – Operation, Asia at Langham Hospitality Group; and Mr Harvey Thompson, General Manager at Eaton HK and Managing Director at Eaton Workshop.

The Great Eagle Group was founded by the late Mr Lo Ying Shek in 1963, and was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1972 (Stock Code: 41). The Group’s principal holdings include Champion Real Estate Investment Trust (Champion REIT) (Stock Code: 2778) and Langham Hospitality Investments and Langham Hospitality Investments Limited (LHI) (Stock Code: 1270), which were listed in Hong Kong in 2006 and 2013, respectively. Being a Hong Kong developer, the Group also owns and manages an extensive international hotel portfolio under “The Langham” and affiliate brands. Founded and headquartered in Hong Kong, the Group develops, invests in and manages high quality residential, office, retail and hotel properties across Asia, North America, Australasia and Europe.

Website: www.greateagle.com.hk